How do you (almost) beat Oregon? Fake injuries

John Hunt of The Oregonian reports that the Cal Bears had an interesting – if slightly dishonest – strategy for slowing down the No. 1 Oregon Ducks’ frenetic offensive attack.

At it might have been a violation of the rules.

Hunt quotes a source inside the Cal football program who said faking injuries was a “big part” of the game plan Saturday, but some coached disagreed with the ploy.

Oregon escaped Berkeley with a narrow 15-13 win, keeping its national title hopes alive. Perhaps the Huskies could have employed the same strategy in the second half of their 53-16 loss to the Ducks when the score was 18-13.

Cal coach Jeff Tedford shrugged off the allegations.

“I know any time anybody goes down against Oregon, (Ducks fans) always think that’s the case, but it’s not the case,” he said, according to Hunt.

The video below shows perhaps the most blatant example of a Cal player allegedly taking a signal from the sideline to fake an injury.